At My Kidz Dentist, we understand that dental emergencies can happen, even with the best care and attention. It can be a little alarming when a temporary crown falls out, but it is rarely a true dental emergency and can usually wait until the next business day for treatment.
You can take several steps when a temporary crown falls out to ensure your child’s oral health remains uncompromised until you can get an appointment to see our experienced pediatric team again.
If you’re lucky enough to have the temporary crown come out during our normal business hours, just call the office, and we’ll give you instructions on what to do and get you in as soon as possible to re-insert the crown.
If the crown comes out on a weekend or after the office has closed for the day, there are some steps you can take until we are open again:
If your child’s crown has fallen out, carefully inspect it for damage. If it’s cracked or chipped, you’ll want to call our office immediately for guidance. If the crown is intact, you can do the following to protect your child’s tooth until you can schedule a follow-up appointment.
Carefully handle the crown to prevent touching the inner surface that will be in contact with your child’s tooth. Avoiding the inner surface of the temporary crown helps reduce the risk of contamination.
Clean the exposed tooth area in your child’s mouth and all surfaces of the temporary crown with a non-abrasive toothpaste or just water and the toothbrush. Also, have your child rinse their mouth with lukewarm salt water to remove any debris or bacteria from the exposed tooth.
You can try to re-insert the temporary crown. Apply a very small amount of toothpaste or over-the-counter dental adhesive to the inside of the crown. Place the crown over the exposed tooth, making sure it is properly aligned and that it fits snugly against the tooth. If the crown does not go in easily, or you are uncomfortable with this step, wait until you can see our team.
The tooth under a crown is often sensitive to cold and hot temperatures. The sensitivity may remain whether you can re-insert the temporary crown or not, so consider the foods and beverages your child consumes during this time. Even though an ice cream cone may sound great, it may be uncomfortable until the crown is fully in place.
Also, avoid sticky and hard foods as they will likely pull the crown off the tooth again.
Even if you succeeded in re-inserting the temporary crown, call the office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. The fix is only temporary, and your toothpaste or over-the-counter dental adhesive is unlikely to hold until your next appointment to insert the permanent crown.
Our expert team is dedicated to providing the best care for your child's oral health needs. Contact us today, or schedule an appointment online at your nearest office in Phoenix, Arizona.
